The increasing number and capabilities of mobile devices is causing a growing demand for web-based content that is easy to understand and interact with on such devices. However, there have been numerous impediments to satisfying this demand. Mobile devices tend to have a small screen, not only because of size limitations, but also because of power consumption and battery-life concerns. Examples of mobile devices include cell phones, handheld computers, etc. Bandwidth limitations also complicate this matter because wireless communication techniques can have problems handling the large data interchange that can more easily be processed on a broadband connection for a typical standard computing device, such as a laptop or a desktop computer. Also, mobile input devices (e.g., keypads) can be more limited than traditional, Personal Computer (PC) based input devices, such as full-sized keyboards and mice.
There is a need for making standard web content available in a mobile format more suitable to the capabilities of mobile devices. An example of standard web content is a web site adapted to be rendered by a personal computer, such as a desktop or laptop computer. Certain known solutions to overcome this problem have been deployed, but have not been widely successful or widely adopted. In one solution, a content provider creates and stores two versions of its web site on the Internet. The first version is the standard one designed to be used with a PC. The other version mirrors the first, but is stripped down for mobile applications. When a user request is received, the request is analyzed to determine if it originated from a mobile device and, if so, the mobile version is served. This two-version solution can be expensive. Two different but coherent sites must be created and updated, rather than one site. Further, each site is usually associated with a distinct domain name, so a user must remember two such names to reach the site on a PC or mobile device.
Another solution requires only a single web site and applies dynamic styling (via web site stylesheets) to render a version of the regular web site to mobile devices. Unfortunately, this requires additional development efforts in order to achieve a consistent look and feel across multiple client devices.
Another solution requires mobile users to browse web sites using a proxy service that is explicitly engaged by the mobile user, such as an Internet search engine. A capable Internet search engine would detect the mobile device employed by the user, and would automatically render all web sites appearing in search results in such a manner that is compatible with the majority of mobile devices. This mobile compatible rendering is only presented when users utilize an Internet search engine that provides this inherent service. The same mobile user may browse directly to a web site and then not receive the mobile compatible rendering because they did not reach the web site through search results presented by an Internet search engine with these mobile device detection and proxy capabilities.
What is needed is a way to easily provide web content to a user in a way that is effective for both mobile and non-mobile devices while minimizing the burden on the content provider of providing such content, that is easier to see and understand and that doesn't require separate web sites for mobile devices and non-mobile platforms.